Cards drop split-squad games to Marlins, Astros

Javier Vazquez was pleased with his latest spring outing after missing a start with a sore elbow.

Vazquez, trying to rebound with Florida after a disappointing year with the Yankees, allowed two runs in four innings Saturday and the Marlins rallied for a 5-4 win against a split-squad of St. Louis Cardinals in Jupiter, Fla.

"I threw all my pitches, which was good for me, especially on the breaking balls," the right-hander said. "Sometimes you feel it a little bit in the elbow but everything was good."

Vazquez missed a start on Monday. In his previous outing, he allowed one run on four hits in four innings against the Nationals on March 9.

"It's not gone 100 percent, but it's getting better, I know that," he said of his elbow.

Vazquez's only mistake was a slow curveball that Nick Stavinoha hit on a 1-2 pitch for a two-run double with two outs in the second inning.

Vazquez signed a one-year $7 million contract in December after a rough season with the Yankees last year, going 10-10 with a 5.32 ERA.

Kyle Lohse continued to have a solid spring, allowing one run on five innings. Lohse, the Cardinals' No. 4 starter, has a 1.50 ERA in 18 innings (four starts) this spring.

The Marlins scored four runs in the eighth, including the go-ahead run with two outs after left-fielder Shane Robinson and Jim Rapaport collided on a routine fly ball.

Ryan Theriot snapped an 0-for-15 skid with an infield single to third in the fifth inning. He scored on Matt Holliday's sacrifice fly.

Astros win 3-2

Houston Astros manager Brad Mills had no idea Bud Norris' spring stats were ugly. He was busy admiring his starter's mechanics.

Norris threw five scoreless innings in a 3-2 win against a Cardinals split-squad in Kissimmee, Fla.

Entering the game with a 10.29 ERA, Norris allowed six hits and struck out five. Norris is being counted on to fill one of the gaps in the Astros' shaky rotation.

Norris was 7-3 after July 27 last season, leading the Astros to a 50-41 record down the stretch after a horrible start.

"Spring training is all about working and that's what I have done," Norris said. "The numbers haven't hurt anything and I haven't had a lot of walks. It's coming around."

Only Brett Myers and Wandy Rodriguez are locks for the rotation and the team is counting on Norris to fit in. After that, Nelson Figueroa and J.A. Happ are the leading contenders to fill out the rotation.

Lance Lynn started for the Cardinals and struck out four, allowing two runs in four innings.

The Astros were outhit 11-7 but took a 3-0 lead and held on. First baseman Brett Wallace improved his spring training average to .362 with a run-scoring single.

-- Associated Press